Introduction: Bottle Cap Clock

Looking to use old collected bottle caps? Need something to help you keep track of time during this pandemic? Then this bottle cap clock is perfect for you. Using very simple tools and materials.

Supplies

  • approx. 100 Bottle Caps (can be metal or plastic)
  • a clock movement system (can be found on amazon, or at homedepo and michaels crafts)
  • cardboard (I used a large cardboard box)
  • hammer
  • 2-3 nails
  • scissors (optional x-acto knife)
  • metal jump rings (can use wire as substitute)
  • super glue and hot glue
  • ruler
  • pencil
  • pliers (optional)
  • paint and brushes (optional)

Step 1: Step 1: Starting the Clocks Body

Using a pencil and ruler, take 2 sheets of cardboard and

On one Sheet of cardboard:

  1. draw out 3 separate circles.
  2. outer circle with a 5in radius
  3. 1/8in circle off of the outer ring towards the center
  4. and the center circle should be 4 in in radius
  5. Using scissors or x-acto blade cut out the 1/8 in circle and discard

Now there are only 2 circles, the inner and outer circle with 1/8in gap.

On the second sheet of cardboard:

  1. take the inner circle (4in radius) and trace onto second sheet of cardboard
  2. cut out circle so there are 2, 4in radius circles

Step 2: Step 2: Cardboard Edge

  1. Take a long piece of cardboard and mark out 1in x 26in strip and cut it out.
  2. Mark on 1/8in line onto cardboard strip on both sides (make sure you are marking on the same ends on both sides)
  3. then line up line with the outer circle to make sure everything will fit.

Note:

If your clock movement system is wider than 1in make the strip wider to accommodate mechanism box)

Step 3: Step 3: Building Clock Body

Take both cardboard inner circles from step 1:

  1. take one (this will be the clock face) and cut a circle in the center (to whatever size fits the clock hands on the mechanism you chose are)
  2. take the second circle and cut out a square to fit your clocks mechanism and (not included in photo) a small circle or square to use as a hanging device

Then get out super glue or a hot glue gun and using the strip from step 2:

  1. line up the marked pencil line with the outer circle (see photo) and attach circle to the cardboard strip, make sure they overlap by 1/8in
  2. let glue dry
  3. attach inner clock face circle. Line up with the 1/8in line and glue just like with the outer circle, inside the cardboard strip.
  4. let dry
  5. flip upside down and glue the second inner circle to the bottom of the cardboard strip and let dry
  6. use hot glue (or super glue) to fill in and smooth flat the open cardboard edge of the strip and let dry

Step 4: Step 4: Paint! (optional)

Paint the outer edges of clock black and the clock face and light gray, I painted a design onto the face of the clock later in the process (but if you are going to paint the face, do it during this step) you can also print and glue onto the face any design you wish.

Take 12 bottle caps and paint the inside white, and when that is dry paint on numbers 1-12.

Note:

You do not have to paint on any numbers if you don't like the look , you can also like the clock face design, print out and glue numbers in the bottle caps

Step 5: Step 5: Clock Face Bottle Caps

Using a pencil, mark out where each of the 12 bottle caps go on the clock face and super glue them on (hot glue doesn't work will here)

On the 1in edge of the clock, lay out bottle caps all around the edge with the flat side facing you.

Glue all bottle caps EXCEPT for the bottom 10 caps (you need to put holes and attach them with jump rings in next step)

Step 6: Step 6: Bottle Caps and Jump Rings

Laying Out Caps:

  1. Layout all of your bottle caps into 9 rows. (this does not include the 10 saved from last step)
  2. the middle row is the longest and has 8 caps, then the rows mirror each other, with one less bottle cap with each row

the row numbers should look like this: 4 5 6 7 8 7 6 5 4

Once you like how it looks then get out your hammer and nail

Putting Holes in the Caps:

  1. put a mark on the inside of the bottle cap on the top and bottom
  2. then, hold a nail onto the mark and hammer until the hole is big enough to fit a jump ring or wire through
  3. repeat on all bottle caps, top and bottom
  4. on the 10 caps saved from step 5 AND on the top cap of every row put 2 holes on the top (this is how you will connect the rows to the clock)

Attaching all Caps:

  1. take a jump ring and open it with your hands or with pliers (I suggest pliers)
  2. put the jump ring through the hole
  3. take another bottle cap and string it onto the same jump ring, and close the ring
  4. Now the 2 caps should be connected
  5. connect all of the caps in the row except the first cap in the row
  6. You can attach the 10 saved caps to the top caps of every row it will create one massive chain, but DON'T attach the rest of the rows to these caps yet.

Step 7: Step 7: Final Glue and Installing Clock Mechanism

Glueing:

  1. Carefully glue all 10 of the caps to the bottom of the clock, be sure to not let the row caps, that are attached to the 10, be glued to the clock.
  2. let that dry before moving the clock in any way

Then if you are me and realized you forgot to paint the clock face, paint the clock face, which you have already done in step 4.

Insert the clock mechanism in the back and attach the time hands in the front.

Step 8: Step 8: Finishing Touches

String on the rest of the bottle rows onto the clock like in step 6 and then you are done!

Step 9: Finished

What I love how this design is that you can use my design and take it and run with it. Make the clock whatever size or shape and design you want, change the materials used.

I hope you enjoyed my bottle cap clock and make one of your own. :)